Air Vice Marshal Howard, UK Assistant Chief of Defence Staff, Logistic Operations, was accompanied by Captain Jonathan Holloway and Lt Commander Robert Cogan from the UK Ministry of Defence and met Uzbek officials for discussions about UK and NATO operations in Afghanistan.

Air Vice Marshal Howard said: “I am very pleased to be in Uzbekistan on my first visit, and welcome the opportunity to express the Ministry of Defence’s thanks for Uzbekistan’s support to our operations in Afghanistan and to further the bilateral relations between our two countries. In sharing a border with Afghanistan, Uzbekistan has a key role to play in both Afghanistan’s future and in the long-term security and stability of the region.”